EVALUATION OF HIGH DENSITY PLANTATION OF Eucalyptus tereticornis Smith FOR WOOD CHARACTERISTICS
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Date
2012
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ABSTRACT
The present investigation entitled “Evaluation of High Density Plantation of Eucalyptus
tereticornis Smith for Wood Characteristics” was carried out on the high density plantatation of
Eucalyptus tereticornis rasied at Dr. Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni,
Solan (HP) India in the year 1986. Twelve trees, aged about 25 years were selected and felled in
the year 2011. Five centimeter wide wood discs were removed from the main stem at 0 (H1), 30
(H2), 60 per cent (H3) and 10 cm at 90 per cent (H4) of total tree height. These were analysed for
variation of diameter over bark (d.o.b.), diameter under bark (d.u.b.), wood per cent, bark per
cent, wood bark ratio, moisture content of wood with bark, specific gravity, fibre length, cold
water soluble extractives, hot water extractives, alcohol-benzene soluble extractives, Klason
lignin and holocellulose contents. Spacing S3 (120 × 120 cm) recorded the maximum height of
14.985 m and spacing S1 (60 × 60 cm) the minimum (11.474 m) showing significant difference.
Green biomass of main bole, branches, twigs and leaves, total aboveground green biomass and
mean exact stem volume per tree varied significantly among spacings. However, mean stem
volume per tree on dbh basis and form factor showed non-significant variation among different
spacings.
The highest d.o.b. (16.878 cm) and d.u.b. (14.241 cm) were found for spacing S3 and
lowest (10.913 cm and 8.912 cm, respectively) for S2 (90 × 90 cm). These decreased with
increase in sampling heights. The maximum wood per cent of 85.332 per cent was recorded for S3
and minimum (82.526 per cent) for S1 showing significant difference. The highest wood per cent
of 86.129 per cent was observed at H3 and lowest (77.081 per cent) at H1, showing an increasing
trend with increase in sampling height. The opposite trend was shown by bark per cent which
increased with increase in sampling height. The maximum wood bark ratio of 6.263 was recorded
for S1 and minimum (5.039) for S2. Among sampling heights, highest wood bark ratio of 6.461
was recorded at 60 per cent of total tree height and lowest (3.456) at ground level. The maximum
moisture content of wood with bark of 81.067 per cent was found for S1 and minimum (66.155
per cent) for S3. Sampling height H1 showed highest moisture content of 81.238 per cent and
lowest (69.233 per cent) was recorded at H4, displaying a decreasing trend with increase in
sampling height. Specific gravity increased with increase in spacing. Among sampling heights,
the maximum specific gravity was at ground level (0.817) and minimum (0.724) for H4. Fibre
length displayed decreasing trend with increase in sampling height and showed a maximum value
of 0.893 mm at ground level. The maximum extractives were recorded at ground level and
minimum at 90 per cent of total tree height. Klason lignin content decreased with increase in
sampling height and observed a highest value of 31.151 per cent at H4. Holocellulose content
observed a maximum value of 70.874 per cent at H1 and then decreased with increase in height.
Effect of spacing on chemical components of wood was found to be non-significant except
alcohol-benzene soluble extractives.